LA Clippers Missing Top Two Stars Against Miami on Thursday

The Los Angeles Clippers are 7-3 SU and ATS in their last 10 games against the Miami Heat, including a current 3-0 SU and ATS stretch. The Clippers will try to extend their winning streak against the Heat without their two biggest stars Thursday night.

Sportsbook Odds Analysis

The Heat opened as 4.5-point favorites, but action on the short-handed Clippers has brought the line down slightly to Miami -4. The movement has been greater on the total, which is down to 214.5 points since Sportsbook at 216.5 points. The UNDER is 8-2-1 in the last 11 games between the Clippers and Heat.

Los Angeles News & Notes

Los Angeles was on a tear in January with a 7-0 SU and 4-3 ATS run before losing both Kawhi Leonard and Paul George to COVID-19 restrictions. With both Leonard and George out of the lineup, the Clippers scored only 99 points in a 108-99 loss against the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday night. The Clippers had averaged 121.6 points per game over their previous seven games.

To make matters worse, starting point guard Patrick Beverley is also out of the lineup due to right knee soreness. Los Angeles has put together a solid supporting cast around its top two stars, but this group isn’t built to win without them. Early reports indicate that Leonard and George are both feeling well and should be ready to return as soon as COVID-19 protocols allow them to do so.

Miami News & Notes

Miami has failed to build on the momentum of its run to the NBA Finals last season, with a disastrous 6-11 SU and 6-10-1 ATS start to the season. The Heat got crushed 109-82 in Tuesday night’s game against the Denver Nuggets, which they played without Goran Dragic (groin), Tyler Herro (neck) and Jimmy Butler (quarantine). The loss dropped Miami to 0-4 SU and 1-3 ATS over its last four games.

Butler and Dragic are both questionable to return against the Clippers on Thursday while Herro is out indefinitely. Bam Adebayo has been the only member of the Heat able to avoid missing any significant time so far this season. Jimmy Butler has played in only six games and could provide the team with a nice boost if he is able to return from his COVID-19 quarantine.